


Outlaw

by SteveCaster



Category: Blake's 7
Genre: Gen, Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2020-09-02 12:55:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 13,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20276263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteveCaster/pseuds/SteveCaster
Summary: A man attempting to flee corruption finds himself entangled with the crew of the Liberator. But can he be trusted?





	1. Chapter 1

It's raining as I make my way back to the space bay. It always rains on New Titan. Or at least, it rains whenever I visit. Hopefully, this will be my last stopover here for some time. I hate the place. I don't see why they always call meetings in the grimmest corners of the quadrant and New Titan seems to be something of a favourite. Their demand always comes through at such short notice. Three days ago, I got an abrupt message and, as always, I was expected to drop everything and make my way here. That's 72 hours to get the necessary permits, cargo, fuel. Honestly, I'm sick of this place, sick of them. No planet should have this much mud. And the awful semi darkness which seems to cover most of the planet most of the year. It's just dreadful.

A man dressed in overalls smiles at me as I enter the hanger. "Bye, Jallo. See you again."

I don't respond. 

Minutes later, the door to my ship closes and I practically fall into the pilot's chair. I begin keying in the start up sequence. Slowly, the systems come online. I know my ship isn't much, really just a glorified planet hopper with a few modifications, but it is _my_ ship and I'm proud of her. After all, I paid for her, after a fashion. 

I think about the events of the last few hours. An unease spreads through me. How did I ever get mixed up with these people? How could I have been so naive? No matter. I should be leaving soon and then maybe they'll leave me alone. 

Yeah, right.

Tema, the last candidate who expressed doubts, mentioned her misgivings in a meeting and was never seen again. She vanished literally overnight. The organisation doesn't try to dissuade members from speculating as to the fate of others. Sure, I could ask what had happened to her but I know they'll be so vague with their answers that it would be pointless. They seem happy to let the fear of the unknown answer questions for them. I miss Tema.

The lights on the control panel show launch ready so I contact Space Traffic Control, a fancy title for a man in a hut with a radar.

"Jim? You awake? I'm ready to get off this slime bowl of a planet!"

The response is more curt than usual and I groan inwardly, he has an inspector watching today. I respond, attempting to sound professional, to cover up my previous comment,

"Orca acknowledges, Space Traffic Control. Path 4.8.2 confirmed. Orca out."

I ease the throttle and Orca raises from the platform. I bring the drive to one twentieth power, switch to automatics and lean back. I consider the events of the day. Something big is being organised. There were many high ups there today. Sure, they didn't speak to anyone but the fact they'd graced us with their presence was significant. The meeting had been more tense than usual too. I'd been criticised even though I'd met my quota. I hadn't been happy about that. They should try shifting that stuff with all the Federation patrols. 

The radio cuts through my thoughts "Orca you are free of planetary grid. Space Traffic Control out."

I change headings and increase the power to the drive. I glance down at my payment bag, twenty thousand in hard cash, and smile. Just a little more and I'll be able to buy another ship, start my own group and distance myself from these people. Orca picks up speed and I relax, just a little. It's never easy meeting them. Sure they appear friendly enough, but that doesn't mean anything. Tema told me to stay on the right side of them; that she'd take the risks but she underestimated them. That's something I'm not going to do. 

A warning light comes on and I tap it. Often, that's enough to fix the fault. Not this time though. Instead, another light flashes red. And another. The main drive's running too hot, causing a power build up.

Alarmed, I reach for the cut off switch. A trickle a smoke comes from the control deck. It quickly turns into a torrent. I cough and activate the distress beacon. A huge spark strikes the side of my head and blood blurs my vision. Orca loses lateral control and begins to spin. The last thing I wonder, before I pass out, is whether this was Tema's fate. Whether she'd died like this, wanting out from the Terra Nostra.


	2. Chapter 2

I keep my eyes closed and lie still. I listen hard and gradually I begin to make sense of the voices I can hear.

"Why did we bring him on board?" A man's voice.

"His ship was damaged, he was adrift. He would have died." Another answers.

"What if he's Federation?"  
  
"Well, there's no sign that he is."  
  
"That's not what I asked. You remember what happened last time you decided to answer a distress call?"

"Yes. But that wasn't Federation either. This is entirely different."  
  
"He's certainly less scarred, I'll give you that. But how do we know he won't turn into a homicidal maniac?" A new voice says.

I can't help but smile at that and the corners of my mouth twitch slightly. Unfortunately, it shows them I am wake and I find myself being addressed.

"You can stop the pretence now." The second man tells me.

I open my eyes and try to shade them from the bright light which is positioned over me. A woman pushes it to one side and helps me to sit up.

"How are you feeling?" she asks kindly.

I respond groggily, surprised to find it so hard to talk.

"Easy," the first man says. "You've had quite a shock. We estimate you were breathing in fumes for about 10 hours before we found you. It was lucky your air scrubbers took so long to be overwhelmed."

"What happened?" I croak.

"Best we can tell, your ship suffered some sort of drive failure which, in turn, crippled your navigation and controls. We found you drifting."

"Thanks for getting me out," my voice is getting slightly stronger. "I'm grateful. My name's Jallo. Who are you?"

"Friends," says the first man calmly. "You need time to rest. We'll leave you."

I try to get up. "I don't want to rest. I need to return home." Again I attempt to rise, my head pounding. The woman gently settles me back down _Rest. You can return home later _I feel her say. 

I lie back down, the fumes must still be affecting me. I'm hearing voices. I let unconsciousness sweep over me.

A day later I feel well enough to get up. I look about the room. It is some sort of medical facility filled with equipment I don't recognise. I am alone so I wander to the door but discover it is locked. Next to it is a little communicator so I press the button.

"Yes?" 

"er... I am well and ready to leave."

"Right. Someone will be down soon."  
  
Moments later a tall, well built, man enters the room. He smiles at me.

"I'm Gan. I hear you're feeling better? That's good. Come with me please."

I follow him down a series of corridors before he stops at the entrance to a large area the like of which I have never seen before. It is some kind of control room but the pilot stations all look bizarre. It must be some sort of experimental ship. I suppose these people are neither Federation nor Nostra but I keep my guard up. As Tema would say, a life saved is a debt owed...

A curly haired man looks round. "Ah, good. I was hoping you'd agree to talk to us. I'm Blake. That's Avon, Jenna, Cally and Vila." The others either nod or ignore me. Blake seems unconcerned by the lack of cordiality. 

"We docked your ship to the port hatch. We've been looking at the damage and there's not much which can be done, I'm afraid."

I wait uneasily. Perhaps they've taken my earnings. I guess they deserve it for saving my life.

"There was something curious though," continued Blake. "Avon?"

A dark haired man faces me, "When I looked through your control relays, I found this." He holds up a small device. I have no idea what it is and tell him so.

"Then let me inform you. Someone intended for your ship to have its little accident. The question is, who..."

I am aghast. So the Terra Nostra wanted to dispose of me. My mind races. Can I trust these people? Do I have a choice? I clear my throat.

"I've a pretty good idea," I begin.


	3. Chapter 3

I explain everything. The Terra Nostra, my cargo, my need to return home. I keep nothing back. I wonder why I am opening up to them. Probably because I am desperate. Gradually, my mind starts to piece together what I've heard of these people. I know odd snippets of their past. The Nostra are keeping tabs on them. As I speak, I look about the room, trying to appeal to the crew. They are not reacting to my story at all. Are they really this cold, this heartless? The organisation portrays them as killers, a mad crew intent on destruction. But that's not what I see. Apart from the one called Cally, the others have treated me with indifference, boredom even. I try to choose my words carefully, to manipulate some sort of response from them but they show no emotion or ask any questions.

I think about the price the Terra Nostra have put on their heads. For a moment, I entertain the thought of returning triumphantly to New Titan, the great Blake and his crew my captives. My cargo could make it possible. It will certainly get me enough money to buy my way out of the organisation. And I've wanted to leave for a long time. Would it be enough to buy my freedom though?

I finish my story and wait. Silence. Blake has been staring at me the whole time but I cannot tell what he is thinking.

Cally speaks up, "We will help you return to your planet. I know what it is like to be alone."

"You're in no position to offer help," says Avon. Cally looks shocked but Avon continues, "If any of his story is true, then we should act on the good fortune of finding him first. We should press our advantage."

"I agree with Avon," Blake comments.

I look in horror from face to face but the others all remain quiet. There is no opportunity to negotiate. It seems that Cally's one dissenting voice has been silenced and my fate now rests in Blake's hands. Perhaps the Terra Nostra are right after all; Blake and his crew are unhinged. 

"We'll need your cargo," intones Blake. "If you'd be so good as to retrieve it for us."

He scowls at me, daring me to defy him.

"What will you do with me?" I ask hesitantly. 

"Oh don't worry. You'll get your freedom," replies Blake.

I am led down to the hatch where my ship is docked. Avon explains the life support is fried so I will have to wear breathing apparatus while I locate the goods; he shoves one into my hands as I step into the airlock.

"Don't be long," he says, "your mask will only support you for 20 minutes."

With a sense of trepidation, I enter my ship. I know I am out of options. All that is left for me is to start removing the contents of the hold. I wonder if the distress beacon is still active or, better yet, the communications array. But on closer inspection I find they have been damaged, possibly as a result of the sabotage. Idly, I speculate whether my new 'friends' had anything to do with it. Opening the secret hatch, I begin to remove the packages.

Avon and Blake are waiting for me as I exit the airlock. They smile as I put the six packages down in front of them.

"Thank you," says Blake. "Now, if you'll just go back in, we'll send you on your way."

I look back at him, fear coursing through my veins. I hesitate, "You said the ship isn't space-worthy. That the atmospheric units aren't working."

Blake looks thoroughly unconcerned. "But, my mask has only," I check the gauge, "seven minutes of air left."

"Then you'll have to fix your ship in flight," says Avon.

"But seven minutes isn't enough time."

"Work quickly," says Blake pushing me inside.

As the door shuts I catch a glimpse of Cally standing at the end of the corridor, horror and disgust on her face.

I look down at the gauge. 1 minute remaining. I settle myself more comfortably in my chair. The ship howls as it spins out of control. Every rotation the Liberator comes into view. Every rotation it is a little further away. 

I cough. The air is getting thin. It won't be long now.

I steal a couple more gulps of air and blackness starts to encroach on my peripheral vision.

I close my eyes. As my lungs plead for a last drop of oxygen, I hear Tema's voice singing.

Soon we will sing together.


	4. Chapter 4

My eyes open to a room bathed in gentle light. I am lying on a bed, my bed, in my quarters. The Liberator's engine noise quietly filters through the closed door. I think back over the events of the last few hours. They seemed so real, so intense. Nightmarish. But, I console myself, it had to be a dream. I wouldn't have acted in that way. I wouldn't have condemned a man to death.

Shrugging off my dream, I rise and splash water on my face. Looking in the mirror, I barely recognise the man who stares back at me. Trying to lead this crew and especially Avon is taking its toll. I don't demand loyalty but I am tired of being doubted; of having everything questioned. I suppose it's just that I have different priorities to the rest of them. There will come a point, I suspect soon, when they will all have to decide where their priorities lie. But, until then, they are all useful.

As I am leaving my quarters, I almost collide with Jenna who is carrying a cup of tea.

"Feeling better, Blake?" she asks me. 

I don't remember feeling ill; I tell her I'm feeling well. As she hands me the tea, she mentions that it is good to see me up and about after so long and that I should come to the bridge; Avon's got something he wants to show us all. 

I arrive on the command deck to find Avon tinkering with something he's holding.

"Are we all here?" he asks, without looking up.

I glance about the room. Cally, Vila, Jenna, Gan and Avon.

"Yes," I reply, trying to match his bored tone. Avon's eyes flit about the flight deck.

"And where is our leader?"

I cough. If he's trying to challenge me, he has chosen a strange way to go about it. But before I have a chance to respond another man enters the flight deck.

"Here," he says.

I look round. The man looks familiar somehow. Yet, I can't place him.

"Right. Shall we get started? Avon?"

Jenna activates the automatics and everyone sits on the sofas. No one looks at me, instead all eyes focus on Avon who places an item on the table.

"What you are looking at," he begins, "is a miniaturized matter transference beam."

"Looks like a bracelet to me," comments Vila.

Avon ignores him. "What it allows the user to do is travel between two points without physical movement. We merely need to test it. It could be dangerous," he smiles, "or even deadly."

He sits back.

"I've never really been into jewelry," admits Vila, "I mean, it never seems to go with my complexion."

"But," I start, "we don't need to test it. We know that it works! We've been using teleport bracelets for months!"

Everyone stares at me. A silence falls across the room. 

The leader speaks, "And tell me, Blake, why would you say that?"

I scoff indignantly. "It was one of the first things we tested when we came aboard. We found how to target co-ordinates and pinpoint where a traveler lands. It's saved our lives on more than one occasion. In fact, there are only problems when we lose a bracelet. Like when Cally got left in Travis' clutches because her bracelet fell off."

For a fleeting moment, confusion flashes across Cally's face. All the others remain blank.

"Blake, _we've_ been on board for months. But you? You only joined us 3 three days ago and you've spent that entire time asleep! We found you unconscious floating in a derelict spaceship. You've not said a word until today."

"But in that case, how did Jenna know my name?"

"It was on your uniform," Jenna says simply. 

I look around, a sense of panic starting to rise inside me. "This must be some sort of illusion. We left Earth on the London. We were bound for Cygnus. You must remember!"

No one responds. They exchange glances and the leader speaks up again.

"I think it would be best if you rested again, Blake. Cally, Gan take him back to his quarters and give him something to help him sleep."

I begin to protest but am lifted up by Gan and marched back to my room. Once we are out of earshot of the bridge I turn to Gan.

"Just tell me one thing. Who is that man?"

"He is our leader," says Cally, "his name is Jallo."


	5. Chapter 5

I stop walking. "Jallo?" I repeat, my mind racing. 

"You've heard of him then?" says Gan. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. He's a fairly well known resistor."

"No, I've never heard of him but..." my voice trails off. Have I met him?

Cally looks at me curiously.

"What you said before, about me being stranded. You meant it didn't you? Even though it never happened, you believe it did."

"Yes," I reply, "because it did happen. You were trapped and Travis tried to use you to get to me."

Cally continues to look thoughtful, as if she is trying to remember. I see the faintest glimmer of confusion in her eyes, like she is somewhere else, distant.

We reach my room. Cally gives me some pills from her pocket. "These will help you rest. Perhaps when you wake everything will be clearer, Blake."

The door closes behind them and I collapse onto the bed. I attempt to bring order to my confusion. If I have been unconscious for the last few days, that would explain why the dream I had seemed real. I don't accept however, that the crew have only just met me. Am I still in a dreamworld? As I try to make sense of it all, the door slides open and Jallo walks in. He looks unsettled and angry. He waits until it has closed before he speaks.

"You killed me, Blake," though his voice is soft, it carries venom. "You sentenced me to death when you pushed me through that airlock." 

"You mean that actually happened?" I stammer. Jallo ignores me.

"I've waited patiently for three days for you to wake up, Blake. I've had three days thinking of nothing but your death. I assure you, it won't be quick or painless."

"I thought... I thought I was dreaming."

Jallo scoffs. "That was no dream. I could sense you watching me as I left New Titan, becoming more powerful. You were in my mind looking out through my eyes, thinking my thoughts, feeling my emotions. You knew how desperate I was to escape the Terra Nostra. When I left New Titan and met you, I expected support. After all, how could you refuse me after the things you saw? However, it appears you are no better than the Nostra themselves. No better than the Federation."

"But how are you here? If I killed you, how can I be speaking to you? You can't be real!"

Jallo smiles but before he has a chance to answer Avon walks in. He looks surprised to see Jallo and whatever he intends to say to me dies in his throat.

"Jallo, I have been looking for you. It's time to test the bracelets."

Since I'm not getting any rest, I decide to accompany them to the teleport area. I follow them along the hexagonal corridors to the teleport where the rest of the crew are gathered.

"Right, who is going to try it?" Avon asks.

To my surprise, Vila steps forward. None of the rest of the crew seem the least bit amazed.

"I will."

"Are you sure? It was you who tested the last device," comments Jenna. "And we all know how that worked out," She looks pointedly at Avon. Avon ignores her.

"Yes. I am sure. I don't want any of you to be put at risk," Vila is adamant. 

I can't believe what I'm hearing.

"Back, before I defected, I was a tester for the Federation. At first just a test pilot but then I moved on to more experimental technologies."

The rest of the crew stand spellbound.

"I bet you've got quite some stories," says Jenna somewhat dreamily.

Vila strikes a buff pose as he turns to face her. "Well, now you come to mention it. There was this one time on Tarius Major..." and he winks at her!

"No," says Cally uncertainly, "something is not right."

"About the bracelet?" asks Vila.

"No, about us... about Liberator."

"Someone's on board, you think? Well, I'm sure I'll be able to sort it out, whoever it is. Do you want me to search the ship? I'll check the lower decks first, if you like. You can all stay here or find somewhere to hide. I'll be back before you know it."

"Well now, I know I would feel safer if Vila went to investigate any trouble," comments Avon. 

I look at his face, expecting to see sarcasm and ridicule but I can't see any trace of double meaning.

"Shouldn't one of us go with him?" asks Jenna. "Vila always checks for danger by himself."

"No. I will go alone. That way I'll know the rest of you are safe."

Vila ushers us into a store room, tells us to lock the door, and sets off alone towards the lower decks.


	6. Chapter 6

I stride boldly down the passage. I feel the weight of their expectations on my shoulders but it doesn't distract me. I won't let them down. Once I've checked the ship over, I'll get back to testing those bracelets, then It's time to take the fight to the Federation. I know the rest of the crew are nervous about doing that; I understand that people fear the Federation but I've had enough of Jallo's running away. If these bracelets work, and we could get near Hesta 4, there's an experimental facility there. I can think of a few things we could steal which would make things a lot easier for us.

I finish checking the lower hanger and press the communicator on the wall.  
"I've checked the lower hanger. No sign of trouble."  
"Vila, check in more frequently please. We, I mean they, were getting worried," replies Avon, curtly.  
I grin, acknowledge and move on. The ship remains eerily quiet but that doesn't bother me. I approach the vault. If what Cally sensed was a robbery, this is where I'm likely to find our guests. I clench my fists, glad that I have exhausted Zen's database on hand to hand combat. I door is ajar which in itself is not a problem. There are so many riches in the room, far more than any one person could steal, that we rarely bother locking it. Still, I enter cautiously, alert for any sound or movement. 

"Vila! Vila!" The communicator crackles to life. There is panic in Avon's voice.

"Avon. What's wrong?"

"We thought we heard something outside the door. When are you coming back?"

I try to reassure them. "I'm making my way back now. I only need to check that ship we docked with, then I'll be right up."

"What if it comes back?"

"If you all stay quiet, I'm sure it won't."

I hear Avon passing my advice onto the rest of the crew.

"Vila?"

"Yes?"

"Hurry."

The communicator goes dead. I key in a different code and patch through to Zen.

"Hey, Zen?"

"Yes, O Great One?"

I shake my head. I'd told him not to call me that. However, now is not the time to admonish him.

"Do the scanners show any life forms, other than the crew?"

"Negative, O Wise One."

I sigh, another name I thought I'd told him to delete. I'm really no more special than the rest of the crew. Admittedly, they do rely on me a great deal but I owe them a lot too.

"Ok. Thanks, Zen."

"You're welcome, O Gallant One."

Gallant eh? Now that's new. I might let it keep that. 

I hear a low hum coming from the docked ship. Clearly, some of its systems are active, possibly indicating someone is aboard. It won't take long to check as it's just a planet hopper. Its hatch shuts behind me and I realise the noise is the ship's air scrubber. Avon made purging it a priority before starting on other repairs. It's done its job, there is no smoke anywhere on the hopper now. I check the hold for signs of life. This was where we found Jallo's cargo: six cylindrical packages, about the size of a teleport bracelet, containing a fine blue powder. He'd been insistent we take it to him in the med bay. That's when, somehow, one had been dropped and the powder had gone everywhere. 

While looking around for any sign of an intruder, a feeling of unease sweeps over me. Why had I left the others? What was I thinking, going alone? I didn't even bring a weapon. Panic rises and I fight to keep calm. Spotting an oxygen mask, I put it on and, taking deep breaths, fumble my way back to the hatch, back to the Liberator. 

Outside the hopper, I'm still fearful of a panic attack so I leave my mask on and run through the ship, rushing back to the teleport bay. My only thought now is to get back to the others and back to safety. If Cally thinks there's still an intruder we should all go and look. No, actually, they should. I've earned time off. Unless, them searching leaves me alone, in which case I will go with them. Unhappily.

I key in the code to open the store room and burst inside.

Blake, Gan, Jenna, Avon and Jallo all stand frozen before me. Cally crouches in a corner, muttering. As I approach, she looks up but her wild eyes look through me. Perspiration trickles down her face, there is blood on her forehead and hands. Cally's lips are moving but her voice is so quiet I have to crouch next to her to hear what she's repeating.

"something's wrong... something's wrong... something's wrong..."


	7. Chapter 7

"Cally? Cally? Can you hear me?" I ask quietly. She is distracted and turns her head.

"Something's wrong... someth...VILA," she sobs. At that moment, her eyes clear and she is in the present. "I can't, I can't leave them, Vila. Their minds are trapped. I can see them and they each other. I tried to help. I freed you but I'm so tired; I can't escape.." she shakes her head and looks away from me. "Something's wrong... something's wrong..."

I realise she has lapsed back into her trance. Tenderly, I mop her brow and clean the blood from her face and hands while I wonder what she meant about having freed me.

"Don't worry, Cally. I'll find a way for you to escape."

I rise and examine the others. They all stand perfectly still. Their eyes are open but they don't react to anything I do or say. Unlike Cally, they are not injured. A noise distracts me from my investigations and I look down at the gauge on my breathing mask. The oxygen is nearly exhausted. I know I don't really need it any more so I remove the mask and concentrate on my crew mates. I watch in disbelief. They are talking and moving. Blake turns to me, acting like nothing's wrong. "Was anyone there Vila?" 

"No. It was all clear." I murmur. "What happened to you?"

A look of confusion crosses Blake's face. "Us, Vila? We've been here the entire time. We followed your instructions and stayed quiet."

"I didn't mean for you to stand like statues."

"What! We all sat together in the corner, away from the door."

"But I just saw you all standing in a line, completely still."

"I think I'd remember standing like that. Vila, really," Blake tries to reassure me, "we were in the corner, cowering."

I let it pass and change the subject. "We can test the bracelets now."

Moving back out into the teleport area, I notice Cally is falling behind. She is not like the others, she seems tired, weak. 

"Why did you come back?" she asks, "I worked so hard to free you and now something's wrong."

"What do you mean?"

I look into Cally's eyes and, after a moment, I wonder if I am starting to lose my mind. Cally's face flickers, colours streak and blur, sounds become muffled and indistinct. I can still see Cally but she is different, scared and bruised. It triggers a memory and I try to remember why it is important.

"Go Vila, before I am unable to help you."

"Go? Go where, Cally? What's happening?" 

"Away from the others. Back to where you started to think clearly. Please Vila, hurry."

My mind races. I always feel like this: heroic, self assured, charming, dependable. "Cally, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm always clear headed."

"No, Vila. Think... retrace your steps... retrace your actions..." she collapses on the floor. My eyes clear and ears pop, like surfacing from water.

Cally lies on the floor in front of me. "Blake!" I call, "Come and help." The others gather round but they are unconcerned.

"Oh she always does things like this," complains Blake. "Pay no attention. Let's get on with the test."

I feel myself beginning to see Blake's point of view. My mind wants to move on, disregard Cally's safety and test the bracelets. I fight the urge to ignore her, it is difficult. I make my mind up, "That ship. I have to get back there," I tell the others. And with a last glance at Cally, I leave.

*******************

The hatch closes behind me and I slump into the pilot's chair. I try to clear my head and decide on a plan of action. What had Cally told me to do? Retrace my steps and actions. Being back in the planet hopper has not made my situation any better, as far as I can tell. The only other thing I'd done here was put on a breathing mask. Feeling foolish, I reach and grab one from the emergency locker and put it over my face. Why had Cally said to do this? What had she figured out? I have a last look round and then begin to make my way back to Blake and the others. It has to be something to do with Jallo's ship. A thought strikes me and I find a wall communicator.

"Zen, are there any airborne viruses in Liberator's atmosphere?"

It takes a moment for Zen to respond. "Analysis indicates no viruses," I breathe a sigh of relief, "atmosphere compatible with human life: 78% nitrogen, 20% oxygen, 2% unknown."

"Wait, 2% unknown?"

"Confirmed."

"Can't the computers analyse it?"

"Negative. A more concentrated sample is required." 

I roll my eyes. Typical. 2% unknown is 2% too much for me. I'm keeping the breathing mask on until I can work this out.

Zen's voice comes over the communicator again. "Information. A ship has now docked with Liberator."


	8. Chapter 8

I hurry to the command deck. "Zen, can the air be purged, then replaced- can we dispose of the 2% that way?"

"Sensors indicate Liberator's atmosphere is compatible with human life."

"It's turned the crew into catatonic zombies!" I'm certain Avon would have something to say but Zen is more diplomatic.

"Purge is not recommended."

"Would it endanger the crew?"

"There is no data."

Great. I press the point. "Are you able to do it?"

"Affirmative."

"Then start the process. How long will it take?"

"Approximately 36 hours."

I sigh. That's a long time to avoid capture. I grab a gun from the rack and turn to leave. As I go, an idea pops into my head.

"Zen, accept voice commands from Vila Restal only. Priority Vila B7 Delta 1. Confirm."

"Confirmed."

******************************

Liberator is eerily quiet. All I can hear is my heart pounding. It's so loud I may as well be broadcasting it across the ship. Surely there's no reason to assume the people who've boarded mean us harm, is there? I don't feel terribly convinced so I grip the gun tighter and attempt to develop a plan; other than running away. I wonder what Blake would do? First he'd sort out the air problem. Well, I've done that. True, it will take time and true it may result in injury or even death but at least it's underway. I could always revive Avon and the others by getting them breathing masks. That way, if they can think of a less dangerous way to replace the air, we can stop the purge.

My mind made up, I turn towards the supply rooms. A bleep from my breathing mask draw my attention. Consulting the gauge, I realize I have only a few minutes of air left. Desperation starts to fill my mind. There seems little point in returning to the others, I'm too far from the planet hopper and hiding will be of little benefit. With effort, I calm my breathing, panic will only waste the little air I have left.

As I round a corner, I hear a faint noise and freeze.

Footsteps. 

Hurriedly, I move into a side room. Leaving the door ajar, I can just make out a woman's voice. "Split up and locate all the crew members. We think there may be 7 of them. Our priority is Blake. We don't know how quickly they succumbed to the powder so the crew could be anywhere on the ship. You don't need me to remind you of the importance of keeping your breathing apparatus on at all times. Contact me as soon as you find anyone. I am going to find the bridge and access the main computer."

There's a muffled set of acknowledgements and the footsteps move off in different directions; including towards me.

My mask beeps again, only seconds remain. I'm struggling to think clearly and my vision is becoming blurred. Frantically, I look for somewhere to hide. I can hear footsteps outside my door and before I have chance to lock it, it swings open. Without thinking, I step out.

"Good morning!" I bluster, putting on my best smile. _Good morning?! _Honestly, Vila what are you doing?Before the man has a chance to engage me in conversation, I make a grab for his mask, ripping it from his face. He opens his mouth, ready to alert his friends but then realizes that if he were to inhale he would become inert. Instead, he lunges at me, attempting to knock me to the floor. I push him off and use an arm chop (a self defense move I picked up from Avon) to knock him back. He comes at me again but the effort of the fight is proving too much. I can tell he is desperate to take a lungful of air. I know how he feels, I am moments from passing out. With a last effort, I sidestep his final flurry and, to my relief, hear him inhale. I turn to see a glazed look spreading across his face. He stands perfectly straight, staring at nothing.

"Sorry," I murmur as I put on his breathing mask.

I tie his hands and ankles and look him over. He has little I can use, other than his communicator which I stow in my pocket. Right. Now all I need to do is grab more oxygen masks and free the others before they are found. As I turn to leave, the communicator crackles to life.

"I have located the crew."

The woman answers. "Where?"

"Down in a storage bay. Blake is here."

"Right. Stay where you are. I'm coming down. We have a problem."

It would appear that I have a problem too. 


	9. Chapter 9

The trouble with forcing yourself to _think_ is that, more often than not, you end up doing precisely the opposite. I try to help the process by imagining what the unfortunate man is hallucinating, while I lock him in the cabin (without a key -no mean feat, I can tell you). It doesn't exactly take my mind off my problems but it is a welcome distraction.

Soon, I find myself wandering Liberator pretty much purposelessly. I spend a moment panicking that my mask has come loose and I give an involuntary shiver. Whatever that stuff in the air is, the sooner it's gone the better. So, they've found Blake and the others. Not a great deal I can do about that. Even with my gun, I don't fancy my chances of going up against an unknown force, and I'm not one for violence. Perhaps, I could just sit it out and wait for the purge to complete; let the crew wake up by themselves. But I don't know how much air my mask holds and I could easily be captured while I wait. My first priority should be to go back and get more masks, then mount some sort of rescue. My head spins slightly at the thought. However, if I could cause some sort of disturbance, maybe I could free Blake. What sort of distraction would work? I know a few conjuring tricks...

My wanderings bring me close to the aft access hatch and I realize, with a start, that this is where our guests docked. The hatch is open and unguarded. Against my better judgement, I decide to have a peek inside. Cautiously, I poke my head through the entrance and glance about. It is empty. Hardly daring to breathe, I softly step aboard. The small vessel is in power down mode so the lighting is dim but I can still make out the key areas of the control room. It is a small ship designed for short journeys. The only exit is the way I came in. At most, five people could travel in it. I feel just a little bit encouraged to know that there is not a large enemy force on the Liberator. My heart sinks though when I spot a small Federation code computer plugged into the communication station. It's probably best that they don't call for reinforcements, assuming they haven't already, so I disconnect the coder and put it in my pocket. I can't see anything else which could be of use so I turn to leave. By the door are four breathing masks, at least now I have a better idea of how many intruders I'm dealing with, each has an oxygen canister. Presumably, they're spares in case their mission overruns. On impulse, I gently ease the valve at the top of each cylinder, hearing the hiss of gas.

"Weldon, head back to the ship and get a spare mask. It looks like we are going to have to revive one of them." I jump as my captured radio lights up.

"On my way."

Then a new voice comes on the line. "I'm sure you are all aware of this but our own oxygen supplies are starting to get a little thin. It would not be wise to use our spares on one of Blake's crew."  
  
"Well, unless _you_ can unlock the main computer, we have no choice. In the mean time, Connor, I suggest you conserve oxygen and shut up."

The channel goes dead. I smile, it seems their plan is not going as smoothly as they expected. I glance at the readouts on the spare masks. They are registering half full. Not as empty as I'd like but I'm not waiting to meet another intruder and I don't want the noise of escaping air to give away my presence. It should be a while before they notice the missing coder. I shut each valve off and retreat back onto the Liberator.

Moments later, I hear footsteps and flatten myself against a wall. A large man in uniform rounds the corner. He is startled to see me and even more bewildered when I greet him with a surprisingly sprightly, 'Hello there.' I'm pretty amazed too as I don't feel even the slightest bit cheery. I desperately reach up, intending to take his mask. However, he reacts quickly and, as I remove it from his face, he knocks my hand away. Unfortunately for him, my hand lands on the air tube which connects his air bottle and mask. I tug the tube free. As he frantically reconnects it and replaces his mask, I realize that without the element of surprise, the odds shift back in his favour. I lose the will to fight. It is replaced with the will to run away.

Fast.

Now I that have a purpose, thinking isn't quite such an issue. I know the Liberator like the back of my hand so losing my pursuer shouldn't be too much of a problem. I hear his feet pounding after me but the time he wasted fixing his air supply has given me a head start. I dart left and right, skidding round corners and jumping flights of stairs. I make sure I double back on myself and attempt to disorientate him.

He is dogged, I'll give him that. I make another quick left and enter the escape pod bay. Keying in capsule 1's launch code, I open pod 2 and step in. As mine enters 'launch ready' mode, I hear the other blast away from the ship. For a heart stopping moment, I wonder if my pursuer will think to check other bays. But then my radio activates again.

"Weldon, where's that mask? What's taking so long?"

"I was attacked. Must have been another crew member."

"Where are they now?"

"They escaped. Shouldn't be a problem. I'll bring the mask right up."


	10. Chapter 10

I give it a couple of minutes before I leave the pod. Since I know they intend to revive one of the crew, I cautiously make my way back towards where they are held. I wonder how much they know about the ship. If they revive Avon, I doubt it will take him long to unlock Zen. Having said that, Zen can be pretty obstinate, when he chooses to be. Now that they think I've fled, I should have more freedom to move about the ship but I still proceed cautiously. 

As I approach where the crew's location, I hear raised voices.

"Need I remind you that we are on a strict time frame? Already this mission has overrun. Reviving a crew member will compromise it further."

The woman answers angrily. "The mission cannot be completed unless we get access to the main computer. There are no other options but to bring one of the crew back to reality."

"Shouldn't we ask the boss?"

"Oh _yes_, I can imagine his response, can't you? _You_ can be the one to contact him; tell him the plan's gone wrong."

"He's gonna find out sooner or later."

"Incorrect. He doesn't need to find out at all. All we need to do is revive Blake, force him to help us and then re-expose him to the dust."

"I think there's another way."

"What do you suggest, Conner?"

"One of us is exposed. We enter their hallucination."

"You think they'll just accept a stranger appearing on their ship?"

"Other users accepted far more outlandish things than that, when they'd been subjected to a large enough dose."

"Blake's crew aren't addicted yet. They're not dust heads."

"They don't need to be addicted. They've been exposed long enough to accept anything which happens, a new crew member walking in won't seem odd. By now, they probably aren't even noticing the mood swings or the paranoia." 

"You think you can do it, Conner?"

"It'll work. Give me five minutes and bring me back. I'll get what you need."

There's a click as they open the door to where the others are. I catch a weak voice. "Something's wrong, something's..."

"Why didn't the dust affect her do you think?" asks the woman.

"I'm not sure. Her mind is being ripped in two. Sometimes the part which perceives reality becomes slightly more dominant and her eyes clear. It must be most disconcerting for her. Fascinating. It will be interesting to see, when this is all over, what is left of her mind. An autopsy would reveal even more, of course."

The door seals behind them. I sink to the floor, trying to process all I have just heard. My time is running out. I have to find a way to counter the effects of the powder before Cally suffers permanent damage.

Picking myself up, I decide it's time for a more direct approach. I run to the door, jamming the locking circuits, and turn to the wall communicator. Only a highly skilled individual could open the storeroom now. 

"Zen. How much air does room L2 R1 hold?"

"L2 R1 contains approximately 250.6281 units of breathable atmosphere.

It'll be enough. It has to be.

"Seal it Zen. Make it completely airtight. Shut off all vents and access. Then, on my command open all outer hatches for 0.5 seconds, that should be long enough. We have to speed up the purge."

"Information. Crew member Vila Restal will be at risk of death."

"I'll be fine, Zen. I have my mask. But thanks for the concern. Authorisation: Villa B7 Delta 1. Ready?"

I swallow. This had better work.

"Thank you. That's all I needed to know." I spin round, startled by the voice. Before me stands Conner. "You didn't really think I'd fall for the old jettisoned escape pod routine, did you?"

A self satisfied, smug grin spreads beneath his mask. He reaches for his communicator.

"Tema? I have it."

"Excellent." I can hear her smiling.

I stare at Conner, weighing up my chances.

"Zen? Open the hatches!"

A look of disbelief crosses Conner's face. A sudden, sickening, rush of air indicates Zen has followed the instruction. We are both propelled to the end of the corridor and smash into the bulkhead. As nausea takes me, I see Conner, unconscious beside me. Despite fighting to stay awake, I join him.


	11. Chapter 11

So Conner was correct, the escape capsule launch had been purely for our benefit. Now we have captured the perpetrator, this mission should start to become manageable again. Conner’s retrieved the command codes without putting any of us at risk. He put himself in danger and has sent me a very obvious message, one I hear loud and clear; he wants promotion, to climb the ranks of the Nostra. He’s coming for me and I'll have to watch my step. There's always someone waiting to take your place in this organisation. Always someone there to watch you fall. Half the time, your replacement is the one who pushed you. Certainly, that's the way I got promoted. But I didn't expect Conner to be so quick to undermine my authority. Although we staged the argument in the corridor, in the hope of drawing out the crew member, a lot of what was said was vicious. I'm convinced it was as much for the benefit of the team, as much as it was a warning shot at me. I think Conner is nearing the time when he will meet with an accident... when he's served his purpose, of course.

Conner’s had long enough to subdue the crew member so I move across to open the door. I press the release button but nothing happens. I try again, the door remains closed.

“Conner?” I speak into the radio, “Activate the door on your side. Our controls are jammed.”

I don’t recognise the voice which answers.

“Oh, you were expecting, Conner? I’m sorry but he’s indisposed at the moment. He won’t be able to open the door.”

My heart skips a beat and I struggle to keep myself calm.

“To whom am I speaking?”

“You are talking to the person who is going to get you off this ship.”  
I keep my voice playful, despite the rising panic I feel in my stomach. “I think you overestimate your position, my friend. I have your crew at my mercy. And you? You have one prisoner, someone I will have no problem sacrificing. So I suppose, the question is: how many of your crew are you prepared to hear die before you give yourself up?”

“Now hold on a minute, let’s be reasonable. I’m sure we can come to an agreement.”  
“The only agreement I’m interested in is your surrender. You have two minutes to fix this door and give yourself up. Any longer and the next thing you will hear is a gunshot, fired at someone’s head.”  
I cut the radio off. Whoever is out there, is weak.

This is going to be easy.

* * *

Well that didn’t go well. I rip my mask from my face and breathe the fresh air which is flooding the ship after the leak. I dash to the wall communicator.

“Zen? How long will it take to purge the air in room L2 R1?”

“3 minutes.”

"Do it!"  
I need more time or I’m going to be faced with the powder in that room permeating the ship. I pick up the radio.

“The door is proving to be difficult. I need a few more minutes to get it open.”

“No. The limit stands.”  
“Look, if I can’t open it, you can’t get out. Eventually, you'll die. Yes, it’ll take longer than putting a gun to your head but thirst or starvation will have the same result. If you harm even one of my friends, I’ll leave you in there.”

There’s a pause.

“You have five minutes.”

The line goes silent.

Right, time to make it look like this door is difficult to open. I give it about three minutes and begin fiddling with the electronics. As I work, I hear some gentle thuds and muffled exclamations. I hope that means the air is clearing and that the intruders are being overwhelmed.

After a couple of minutes, I level my gun and press the door button.

It slides open.

* * *

I’m standing in a storeroom. There are two people wearing breathing masks and holding weapons blocking the door. I twitch my eyes and see that I’m not the only one in the line. Gan is to my left, Blake my right. The woman by the door is talking into a radio telling someone to open the door. Vila.

Both the guard and the woman seem distracted so I make my move. Stepping forward I karate chop the sentry firmly on the shoulder and, satisfyingly, he crumples to the floor. The woman turns from the door mechanism, raising her gun. But it is a futile gesture; Jenna has sprung into motion and slaps the gun from her hand. As it clatters to the floor, Blake launches forward and kicks it away from her. I look round and see Cally crouching in a corner and move across to her. She is disorientated and her eyes are a milky grey.

“Cally? Can you hear me?”  
She turns, as if trying to locate my voice, but looks through me.

“Avon...Are you… real?” she mutters, unseeing.

By now Blake, Jallo and the others have come over.

“What’s wrong with her? What happened to us?” asks Jenna.

“That’s what I’d like to know,” answers Blake, turning to face the woman in the breathing mask. If looks could kill, he would never know the answer. He removes the mask from her face.

“Tema!” exclaims Jallo. “I thought you were dead… What have you done?”

She looks angrily at him. “What I had to. What was needed.”

Before she can say more, the door slides open and Vila, brandishing a gun, enters.

“It worked!” he smiles. He is met with quizzical expressions. “How’s Cally? Am I too late?” concern fills his face.

“She’s...” Blake falters, not sure what to say.

Gan gently picks Cally up, “I’ll take her to the medical bay. See what I can do.”  
“Good idea,” says Blake, “and in the meantime, we’ll get some answers.”


	12. Chapter 12

"Tema, is it?" Blake asks me.  
I nod.  
"And you work for the Tera Nostra. It seems that your intention was to take my crew and my ship by creating a sort of false reality."

"Well, at least you know that everything is real now," says Vila, smiling.

"Do we? How do we know that we've left that dream state? Or when we entered it, for that matter? Does anyone remember how Jallo came aboard, for example?"

There's a moment of uneasy silence. I smile to myself. They may be back in reality but the psychotic effects are still in full swing. It shouldn't be too difficult to have them doubting each other and build a little paranoia.

"You've no idea have you Blake?" I challenge. "None of you can recall how Jallo ended up being part of the crew. Perhaps he's part of my team..."

Blake's eyes are rolling slightly, as if he's having trouble thinking clearly. I press my point. "You're right though, Blake. How can you know what's real and what can be trusted?"

Avon grabs a gun and holds it to my head. "I'd very much like to see if this gun has the same effect in your reality as mine." 

I try a gamble, "It's not me you should be threatening, Avon. It's Blake." I point at him. "He contacted us, wanted us to do his dirty work -to dispose of you, Avon. He sees you as a threat, knows you want the ship. He instructed us. He wanted you to have an _accident_ and, since you were all to be in a drug induced state, he could have explained your death any way he wanted."

"I don't believe it," Avon answers uncertainly.

"We've already been paid. If you come to our ship, I'll show you."

He rounds on Blake, raising his gun, a look of utter confusion on his face. "Is it true? Have you deceived us? Have you deceived me?"

Blake is at loss. "Avon... I..."

"She's lying," says Vila. "I've been listening to their conversations. They want the ship or us, or both. Blake has nothing to do with organising it."

"Can you be sure? None of you are thinking clearly."

"Enough!" snaps Blake, his eyes have cleared and I know my advantage is lost. Avon lowers the gun as if he too is starting to see things clearly. Blake picks up another weapon and points it at me. "Whatever you intended, you're beaten, Tema. It's just a question of what we do with you and your crew."

"Beaten?" I scoff. "It's wheels within wheels, Blake."  
Blake looks unimpressed and I steal a glance at the other crew members who look equally unconcerned. I try a different tack.  
"You're a wanted man, Blake. High priority target. This operation wasn't organised by a solitary Nostra cell. There are many Nostra groups who were involved in its planning and," I smile, "execution."

That gets their attention.

"What's that supposed to mean?" blurts out Vila.

Sighing, Avon speaks up, "It means that I should check the long range detectors for pursuit ships or anything out of the ordinary."

"I'll come too," adds the woman, Jenna. "We may need to get out of here in a hurry."

The door closes and I smile at Blake as I turn back to him. "It's no good. You've no idea what's coming. I know this ship is advanced but you are about to be outplayed."

"We've beaten the odds before," Vila comments, though he seems to be trying to convince himself. Blake remains unshakeable but it is Jallo who speaks next.

"Tema, what has happened to you? I thought you wanted to escape the Nostra. I thought you'd been killed trying."

"Leave? I wanted to climb. I wanted to become a cell leader. That's why I vanished, Jallo. I'd spent months trying to get my name known. Telling anyone who'd listen what they wanted to hear. To you, I was a victim. To others, vicious. To one, a leadership candidate. Eventually, I was contacted by a go between and recruited into a cell. When that leader proved ineffective, I was the natural choice as his replacement. That's why I disappeared."

"You, a cell leader? I can't believe it. Who recruited you?"

"You know the Nostra rules, Jallo. Other than the go betweens there are no faces, no names, no failures."

"And how would you describe your current mission?"

I'm taken by his question. It is out of character and catches me off balance. "What do you mean?"

"Would you use the word 'failure'?"

Even though Blake's the one with the gun, I give Jallo my full attention. He's changed since I knew him. He's confident, as if he has some ace yet to play. Slowly, he brings his hand out of his pocket. He holds a small, sealed canister filled with blue powder.

"Well would you..?" he asks.


	13. Chapter 13

My gun hand wavers slightly as I glance at Jallo. I make eye contact with Vila who shrugs. But it is Tema who reacts the most, a look of shock and resignation on her face. 

"Jallo?" I begin, uncertainly.

He looks at me, amused. "It's curious, Blake that something so small, so seemingly insignificant, as a powder, can have such power. The Nostra have been developing it for years. At first, it was deemed a failure. Once dream heads became exposed, they would sink forever into a comatose state. They never needed another hit. No profit. Good for subduing rivals, exacting revenge but, ultimately, not good for business.

"Then, quite by chance, it was discovered that a small level of exposure, 2% of breathable air, could effect people just enough cause mass hallucinations, where each individual experienced the same dream. Reality, perspective, consciousness were all shared with each mind accepting, anything -odd behaviour, sudden changes of outfit, even..."

"...even a new crew member suddenly appearing," I mutter darkly.

"Exactly. During observations, it was noted the powder stimulated repressed parts of the mind. At a basic level, it could make a coward, brave. But at a deeper level, the darker the subject's past, the more impact the powder had.

"For a dream state to be truly effective, it has to be something which everyone can accept. Your crew accepted me because your ship is so familiar to them that I didn't seem out of place. All except that woman, Cally, I've never seen anything like her reaction before. To make my part of the hallucination as real as possible -so you felt you were seeing things through my eyes- I did some fieldwork. I went to New Titan and stayed for a while. You've no idea how long I spent forming the ideas which would become part of the hallucination, getting the details just right to make you sympathetic to my plight. I spent weeks on Titan researching so that when you found me in your dream, it would all make sense to you."

"But," I'm thinking out loud, "you underestimated my past. Didn't you? You thought I'd want to rescue you... when instead,"  
  
"You killed me," he says. "I wouldn't normally have taken it personally but, by then, I'd been exposed to the powder for some time and my aggressive side was becoming dominant. That's why I confronted you about it."

"What do you want, Jallo?" Tema interrupts.

He turns back to face her. A look of triumph on his face. "Ah yes. What do I want? Before I answer that though, Tema, you haven't answered my question about whether you've failed. I think it's only fair that you do that first."

Tema's eyes are blazing with fury. "Yes," she whispers venomously. 

Jallo nods, smiling. "You never met the person who offered the contract did you, Tema?"

Silence.

"I've never met them either but let's just say we are on friendly terms. What I want is for your mission to succeed. With one extra detail."

Tema raises her eyebrows.

"Afterwards, I want control of the cell and you gone."

"So you planted yourself here to get a promotion?" Tema fumes. Jallo however, doesn't have time to answer as the wall communicator crackles to life.

"Blake? Jenna. We've got Zen back on our side and..."

Ignoring Jallo, I press the reply switch, "I didn't know he'd gone anywhere!"

"Oh there was some voice protection code, took Avon a few minutes to clear it. Anyway, the long range detectors show a ship of unknown configuration heading our way. Zen's confirmed it's on an intercept course."

Jallo silently indicates for me to release the communicator button.

"Think carefully, Blake. If you alert them to what's going on here or move the ship, I'll release the powder sooner than planned. It will overcome you all before the ship has even turned onto its new heading."

I swallow, my options are growing slim.

"We should get out of here, Blake." Avon's voice.

"No. Not yet. I want to meet these Terra Nostra."

Jenna is incredulous, "They just tried to take the ship and capture us. Why would you want to meet them?"

"Don't be a fool, Blake. This is no time for widening your social circle."

"No. I want to show them that we beat them. And send them a message."

"You want to _fight_?"

"Only as a last resort. It shouldn't come to that."

"Blake, we have nothing to gain from meeting them. We should leave!"

"NO, Avon. We will stay put. Just like we did on Centero."

There is a pause and I hope Avon isn't about to say something stupid. "I'll clear the neutron blasters for firing," he murmurs.

Jallo looks pleased and moves towards the door. He gestures for the gun and I hand it over. Then, he replaces the powder filled cylinder into his pocket.

"I'll take Tema with me. I want to see how the rest of her plan runs and to ensure its success. I'll lock you in here. That one," he points at the guard on the floor, "you can keep. He won't be in the cell when I inherit it."

As Tema opens the door, Jallo turns again. "One last thing, Blake. The powder is about to refill the ship. You'll be sealed off from it in here so you should be in pristine condition for your capture. You'll already be wondering how long it will take us to reach the breathing masks in Tema's ship and whether you have time to foil her plan. If I see any of you again before your capture, I won't hesitate to use this." He arches the gun in my direction, waves it at Vila before bringing it to rest on Tema's neck.

And with that, the door closes and locks behind them. 


	14. Chapter 14

As soon as the door locks behind us, I lower the gun and we walk towards Tema's ship.

"Very good," she says.

"Yes. I was, wasn't I?"

"I thought Blake was going to force me to confess."

"No. I'd never have let that happen."

"Nevertheless, I was on the brink of revealing the whole scheme."  
  
"Well, that would never have done, would it? So I decided to improvise."  
  
She scoffs, "Blake didn't know what to say, or who to threaten!" Her voice trails off, "I've missed you, Jallo."

"Through all those days apart, I never stopped thinking of you," I tell her. We round another corner and glimpse her ship's hatch. Moments later, we are inside. Calmly, we put on our masks. Despite being so close to achieving our goal, we methodically check the ship, knowing that the smallest error could throw the entire plan into chaos. Tema starts to prep it for flight. I look over the other systems. "It all looks in order," I call, "except..."

"Except what?" she turns from priming the pre-flight sequence.

"The Federation tracker has gone."

"No matter. We can still continue as planned."

I don't answer. She's right. The Federation will find them soon enough, assuming they survive the Nostra. I prepare to release the powder. "You know, Tema, I've been researching ancient earth history." She looks somewhat quizzically at me.

"Not the sanitized stuff from the Federation. Proper earth history," I pause to draw breath. "I think I may have found our ancient counterparts." I have her interest now, "Back in the 20th century of the 1st calendar, I came across a couple of interesting characters. They were referred to as outlaws and lived a rather wild, unpredictable life. Back then, banks were actual buildings and under no circumstances were they to be robbed. Turned out these two were rather talented at that and also shooting anyone who got in their way. They were called Bonnie and Clyde. They became quite well known to the authorities and were always running from something or other."

"Sounds almost glamorous!"

"It was, I suppose."

"What happened to them?"

"What happens to all outlaws, in the end?"

Our eyes meet and there is a moment's silence. Brushing aside the obvious answer, we check our masks are secure.

"Are we ready for it Bonnie? When I release the powder we won't have much time to give the 'All clear' code before that Nostra ship turns up. Are we prepared to be chased by them as well as the Federation?"

"It might be that, after this, we are not enemies of the Federation. We are, after all, leaving them their most sought after criminal. The Nostra are a different matter. But with Blake's ship, we can do anything."

There's a glint in her eye. I know I don't need to say anything else. I twist the cap of the bottle and throw the tube back into Blake's ship. Then, as the powder disperses, we head up to the flight deck, ready to send our message to the Nostra. By the time we've done that, Blake and the others will be firmly in the dream world and it won't take any effort to persuade him and his crew to leave in Tema's ship.

* * *

"How long do you need to open that door?"

My fingers are already prising the lock casing free. "Two minutes? Why don't you call one of the others? They didn't break the communicator."

"Because communications are ship wide. Whatever I say, if Tema's near a panel, she'll hear. If I ask for help, they'll release the powder."

"Whatever you do, they'll release the powder."

"I know that Vila," he snaps, "but, if we can catch them before that..."

The door opens revealing Jenna who thrusts breathing masks at us. "We could tell something was wrong and guessed you might need these."

"Gan and Cally?" Blake asks.

"Already wearing them," says Avon rounding the corner. "Cally seems to be improving."

Blake is in full swing now, giving instruction for holding the ship. I offer to watch the unconscious guard but my suggestion is ignored. Typically, he expects me to come and face Tema and Jallo. Reluctantly, I follow Blake while Jenna dashes off to get the ship underway.

“Blake, how long until that ship arrives?” I ask, nervously.

“I don’t know, Vila.”

“Well, how long until Jenna can get Liberator out of range?”

“Vila,” Avon interrupts, “be quiet.”

I glare at him but decide to remain silent. I don’t want to give away our position. I feel a slight vibration as Liberator’s engines begin to come on line and smile with relief, good old Jenna. However, my mood is spoiled seconds later as an explosion throws us to the floor.

“Get to the bridge, Vila,” coughs Blake, picking himself up. “Help Jenna and keep the force wall active for as long as you can.”

Another boom reverberates around Liberator but I keep my balance this time and turn to make my way up to Jenna.

“Right, let’s find Tema,” I hear Blake say as I reach an intersection. “Maybe she can call off her friends.”

“Oh, I doubt that,” Avon answers, as they move out of earshot.

* * *

I stumble into the command room as two plasma bolts impact in quick succession. Jenna looks up from the controls and nods a greeting at me as I take my position next to the force wall activator.

"Zen? Report!" Jenna shouts.

_Liberator has sustained considerable damage. Auto repair circuits have prioritised life support systems._

"Can we get out of here?"

_Propulsion is at 20% efficiency. Structural integrity will be compromised at speeds exceeding standard by two._

_"_Standard by two! We might as well walk."

"Quiet, Vila. Zen, bring the battle computers online. We stay and fight. Vila, get the force wall up and clear the neutron blasters for firing! Let's hope Blake finds Tema soon!"


	15. Chapter 15

We hear the 'oxygen low' warning from our breathing masks but we're too far from Tema's ship to act on it. I turn to see confusion spread across Tema's face. Presumably, she hadn't planned to betray me.  
"These were full when we docked," she begins, "someone must have tampered with them!" Before we can act however, I see her eyes cloud over. I will not be far behind.  


* * *

  
In front of us are Tema and Jallo, both frozen to the spot, both in the dream state and both wearing breath masks. I quickly check to see why their masks have been ineffective -if Jallo has released a more virulent strain then we are all in big trouble. Fortunately, the answer is more mundane, their oxygen supplies ran out.  
"We need to revive Tema, get this attack called off," says Blake. I look back at him.  
"We haven't any more masks with us, Blake."  
"Then use mine," he says pulling it free. Bravery is perhaps Blake's biggest fault; certainly, it's his most irrational. As I take it from him, his eyes glaze over. I force the mask over Tema's face and stand back with my gun raised. It takes a moment for her to focus on me and take in the situation. As her eyes pass over Blake, I think I catch a slight raising of her eyebrows.  
"You did this?" she enquires, nodding towards Blake. Before I have the chance to answer, a plasma bolt impacts the ship and knocks us the floor.  
"Get up," I snarl. That last blast caused more damage than previous ones, I surmise that the force wall is virtually drained. We begin to make our way to the bridge.  


* * *

  
I struggle into a sitting position as Gan asks again if I am alright. My head is spinning but at least my thoughts are now my own. I begin to remove the mask from my mouth. "Don't do that," Gan warns. My hands freeze. "The air is not clean. It's dangerous somehow and made you very sick." He smiles reassuringly though his mask.  
I try to make sense of what is going on. I remember a new face, someone called Jallo. I wanted to warn the others that he was deceiving us but they wouldn't listen to me. No, they couldn't listen to me, they were trapped somehow in a... dream? That's what it had seemed like to me, yet I'd been in it too. Only I'd also been awake. I'd been able to see the dream but it had been mixed with some sort of reality at the same time. Vila... I had managed to touch his mind, nudge him in the right direction. But the voices, the realities had been overwhelming. The memory made me shudder.  
"Are you cold?" asks Gan.  
I shake my head. "Gan, where are the others? Are they alright?"   
"They are fine, Cally. They're just dealing with Jallo. Now lie back and try to get some rest."  
As I lie back, I try to telepathically contact Blake but there is just a wall of dark. Worried, I reach out for Vila. He is awake. Even though I know he cannot respond, I talk to him. "Vila, I am feeling better. Thank you for trusting me and following my suggestions." I close my eyes, exhausted.  
"Cally? You're welcome. I'm glad you are better." My eyes flick open in shock.  
"Vila? You can hear me... and... and... answer? How is that possible? You are not Auronar."  
"er... I'm not sure. I was thinking about you and then... I heard your voice. Could it have something to do with the blue powder?"  
"I do not know. What is happening? Where's Blake?"  
"I don't know. I think he must be under the drug's influence again. Tema's people have been attacking the ship."  
"Tell me of Tema. Vila? Vila?"  
Our link is broken.

* * *

  


I glance about the control room. It is a desperate scene. Various systems have suffered damage and there is smoke in the air. The lighting has dimmed and sparks flash from the main view-screen. Vila is standing by the force wall switch, his face white.  
"If you leave it that late again, we are not going to survive another impact," I snap.  
"I might not have a choice, Jenna," he answers fearfully, "the reserve energy banks are nearly depleted."  
Avon and Tema stumble onto the command deck. I glare at Tema but am grateful Avon has come. Even though she has a gun pointed at her, Tema still wears that infuriating, smug expression. Doesn't she realise we are all about to die? Avon knows. I see the worry on his face as he looks round the bridge. Liberator is barely holding together and, if another salvo hits, we are done for. He jabs the gun into Tema's back, telling her to contact her friends.  
"I don't think I will, not just yet. I think we can make a deal."  
To my surprise, she turns are looks directly at me.  
"Oh I think he will agree," she states. I have other things to worry about than Tema talking to herself so don't respond.  
"Jenna, how long will the ship survive?" Avon asks me.  
"Not long enough," I reply.  
He makes his decision, "The deal is this, Tema. You contact your friends or we are all destroyed. Decide quickly."  
Tema is silent, as if considering her options, but then rounds on me.  
"You'll find I do have the guts. And I'll start with you, if you don't shut up."  
"What are you talking about? Unless you do something, we're all going to die!" I shoot back. Tema turns her attention back to Avon.  
"Those terms are unacceptable. Think about it Avon. You have something I want and I have something you want. You agree to let me leave with Blake and I'll send the message. Yes, it will be the end of my career with the Nostra but I think that will be more than made up for by more cordial relations with the Federation.  
"You're prepared to die for that?" Avon asks doubtfully. "I don't buy it. Now call off the attack!"  
But instead of opening communications, Tema rushes towards me, fury in her eyes. "What did you say?"  
"Nothing," I answer, stepping back. Avon, assuming it to be a delaying tactic, grabs her and pushes her towards the communications console.  
"It's this button," he says, pointing at the desk. Tema struggles to free herself from his grip but before she can move, Vila speaks up.  
"Jenna! Plasma bolt launched and running! Bearing directly."  
Frantically, I twist the controls and the Liberator begins a desperate dive. The hull groans as the ship struggles to respond. Somewhere, on a lower deck, a hollow sound reverberates as a structural support starts to buckle. At the last possible moment, Vila switches on the force wall. Thankfully, Liberator doesn't take the full impact of the bolt but an explosion from Vila's station indicates the force wall is completely drained. I look up at Avon, hoping he has some ideas but it is Tema's eyes I meet. She is staring at me in horrified confusion.  
"What are you?" she breathes but before I can answer, she continues. "Am I still under the influence of the powder? I can't be, can I? I have a mask on. But I hear a voice. How are you doing this to me?" her voice rises. "You think you can influence me? Convince me I can hear you in my head? It's a trick!" There's a wild look in her eyes and, becoming more agitated, she turns to Avon, "Are you part of it?" warming to her theme, she wheels round to stare at Vila, "or you?... SILENCE!"  
Falling to her knees, with her hands clasped over her ears, she tries to block out something which only she can hear. "Stop! Stop it! Get out! Please!" Sobbing, Tema turns her attention back to me, "Did you mean what you said -that you are powerful enough to control my thoughts? That eventually, you'll control me, even if I am off the ship, even if I kill you?"  
I still have no idea what she's talking about but I don't have time to play games. "Contact your ship," I tell her.  
"And you'll leave me alone?"  
"Fine," I reply, baffled. Then something else crosses my mind. "If you leave, with your team and Jallo. And Blake stays with us." Tema nods and virtually throws herself at the switch.  
"R3-7-9. Stand down. Abort mission. Immediate extraction. Full team plus one. T1 out." She looks back at me. "Now leave me alone."  


* * *

  
Cally lets out a sigh and opens her eyes. I gently mop her brow and looked concernedly down at her. "Bad dreams? You seemed feverish."  
"Not dreams exactly. And I think we will all sleep more easily now," she smiles, weakly.  
I watch her, waiting for her to explain but she is exhausted and has closed her eyes. I let her rest.  
  
**************

Epilogue  
Wiping the mud from my face, I struggle to my feet. The dark sky begins to shed its first drops of rain and I look for shelter. This place looks familiar and yet I can't place it. I remember Blake and the Liberator, I remember leaving with Tema, ready to enact the final part of the plan, handing Blake over to the Nostra and keeping the ship for ourselves. And then? Something had gone wrong with the masks, I'd been infected with the powder and I'd woken alone on this awful planet.  
Spotting a building in the distance, I stumble over the uneven ground. Where had Tema gone? Why had our scheme failed? The rain intensifies and I increase my pace. As I get closer, I note that the building is little more than a shack. Still, it offers shelter.  
I open the door and lift my hand to block the glare from an electric light. As my eyes grow accustomed, I see a figure sitting alone in the corner. She looks up and smiles.  
“So you ended up here too, Jallo? I was wondering what they did with you.”  
“Tema?” I can’t believe it. I rush over to her and we embrace. “What happened?”  
“I’m not quite sure. This is going to sound insane but I started hearing voices or, more accurately, a voice. It said it could see into my mind, control me. It had me convinced that the only way to escape it was for us to leave,” she trails off, her thoughts miles away.  
“Where are we?”  
“New Titan.”   
I groan. Tema continues. “After we were extracted by the other ship, they decided to abandon us on New Titan. The next Nostra meeting is coming up and their sponsor wants to make an example of us,” she chuckles ruefully. “There’s always someone ready to take your place in the Nostra...”  
“I’m not so sure I want to be made an example of,” I state. “Listen, while I was here, building up a background for Blake to believe, I put into practice some of Bonnie and Clyde’s routines.”  
“You what?”   
“Well, there are no banks on New Titan but there are plenty of Nostra desposit boxes and I... liberated some of them. We’ll have enough to buy our way off this planet.”  
Tema’s eyes begin to sparkle, “Well then, Clyde lead on!”

* * *

  
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they left but why, when they had the upper hand, did they just give up?” asks Vila.  
Jenna looks at me pointedly, “And why was Tema convinced she could hear voices? Any thoughts Cally?”  
I try to look innocent, I find Jenna the most alien of the crew. “I do not know. Maybe it was due to the powder.”  
“She was wearing a mask.”  
“Perhaps she was suffering from a guilty conscience,” Vila says with a grin.   
“I hope not,” answers Blake, “or we are all likely to start hearing things.”  
_Information: The air purge has now been completed._  
“Thank you Zen,” Villa says. “Better late than never.”


End file.
